Ottawa – Ottawa 2017 and Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson, in collaboration with lead partner CIBC, are pleased to announce a partnership with college La Cité to create hands-on learning opportunities for students as the city prepares to welcome millions of visitors for Canada’s 150th birthday celebrations.

The partnership will seek to create opportunities for students at La Cité to participate in the planning, development and delivery of Ottawa 2017 programs that relate to their field of study.

“We want to engage young Canadians and get them excited about their country’s 150th birthday, while empowering them for the future,” said Mayor Watson. “Thanks to partnerships like the one with La Cité, Ottawa 2017 will be a year of celebration with lasting benefits for all residents.”

The special partnership announcement helped kick off La Cité’s annual job fair, where more than 95 area employers were on-site to speak to current students, alumni and members of the community about job opportunities.

“We’re offering La Cité students the chance to gain valuable expertise on real-life projects that match their curriculum needs,” said Lise Bourgeois, President of La Cité. “By connecting our students to the workforce through Ottawa 2017, or through other job placement opportunities, we’re strengthening their college experience and providing them with the tools and networks they need to succeed in the community.”

In addition to the partnership, Ottawa 2017 is working in collaboration with both La Cité and Algonquin College on the creation of the “Host150” program, a unique training tool to help ready tourism industry staff, volunteers and residents to welcome visitors to Ottawa in 2017. The online Host150 tool will be launched in the fall.

One example of the diverse and unique experiences that will be offered to students through the partnership is the involvement of La Cité’s technology, skilled trades and media programs in developing architectural lighting for the Aberdeen Pavilion as we embellish the capital to welcome the influx of visitors in 2017.

“La Cité students will have the opportunity to contribute in a creative, meaningful way to Ottawa 2017 celebrations enabling us to deliver exciting, high-quality and memorable public programming,” said Guy Laflamme, Executive Director of the Ottawa 2017 Bureau.

“The success of a large-scale program such as Ottawa 2017 hinges on engaging all sectors of our community,” said Marie-France Lalonde, MPP, Ottawa-Orléans. “From students to business leaders, there is growing support and momentum building across the capital region and the province for next year’s celebrations.”

About Collège La Cité
As the flagship institution of French-language college education in Ontario, La Cité places the success of its students at the forefront, offering them training facilities with leading-edge technology and a learning environment focused on practical, modern, forward-looking experiential learning practices. Graduates of the Collège are recognized as skilled, committed and creative professionals who can contribute to economic, social and cultural development in Ontario, Canada and elsewhere.

Canada’s 150th celebrations will offer Canadians and visitors from around the world an exceptional and memorable year of high-caliber experiences while bringing a record number of visitors to Ottawa in 2017 to celebrate this important milestone for our country.

Stay informed on plans for Canada’s 150th birthday celebrations in the capital. Visit ottawa2017.ca, follow us on Twitter @2017ottawa (#Ottawa2017) and on Facebook.